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Former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, who was arrested in connection with a money laundering case, has been remanded to 14 days judicial custody by Special Vigilance Court.

A joint team of Jharkhand Police and State Vigilance Bureau arrested Koda after he repeatedly refused to respond to the Enforcement Directorate's summons for questioning.

The arrest, which is considered huge step towards cracking down on the alleged money laundering and corruption network in Jharkhand also suggests that the ED finally called his bluff, as prior to his arrest Koda had been repeatedly warning unknown politicians about "spilling the beans."

The Legal Battle

Jharkhand Vigilance Bureau

In July, 2009 the Jharkhand Vigilance Bureau has filed an FIR against Madhu Koda with serious charges of corruption and money-laundering against him.

Similarly, charges have been filed against Koda's former cabinet colleagues-two of whom are already under judicial custody.

Enforcement Directorate

The ED has filed an Enforcement Case Information Report or ECIR (the equivalent of an FIR) against him. The ECNR alleges:

-Koda purchased a mine in Liberia worth Rs 1.7 million dollars.

-Key aide Vinod Sinha amassed assets worth Rs 200 crore

-Vinod and Sanjay Choudhary set up companies in Dubai and transferred money through Hawala.

Income Tax

The I-T is investigating the disproportionate asset charges slapped against Koda at the behest of Jharkhand High Court, which is hearing a PIL against Koda and his former Cabinet colleagues for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets.

Koda is currently a member of the 15th Lok Sabha. The ED is believed to have informed the Lok Sabha secretariat about his arrest.

The ED has already filed an ECNR (the equivalent of an FIR) against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Koda was arrested in Chaibasa, about 175 km from Ranchi, and is being brought to the state capital by a police team.

The former chief minister is likely to be taken to New Delhi for further questioning.

A final decision to this effect, however, is yet to be taken as the ED and the vigilance officials can also question the former Chief Minister in Ranchi.

Koda had earlier said that he would be available for questioning only after the completion of Jharkhand Assembly polls on December 18.

The former Jharkhand CM has fielded his wife, Geeta Koda, besides four more candidates in the ongoing assembly polls in Jharkhand.

Koda is alleged to have laundered thousands of crores of rupees during his stint as the State chief minister between 2006 and 2008.

The ED's probe into the money laundering operation, which is just as widely spread from Singapore to Thailand; and from Dubai to Liberia, is set to balloon into one of the biggest bribery and corruption sweeps in the country, whereby a former Chief Minister has already been arrested.

Incidentally, Koda's arrest also spells trouble for his three former cabinet colleagues including Bandhu Tirkey, Kamalesh Singh and Bhanu Pratap Shahi.

All three have been accused in disproportionate asset case.

In fact, two former Jharkhand ministers, Anosh Ekka and Harinarayan Rai, who are facing similar charges, are already cooling their heels in judicial custody.

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